Mediating effect of family functioning on depressive symptoms and family resilience in dementia caregivers

Background Caregivers of individuals with dementia often assume substantial responsibilities and are vulnerable to mental health conditions such as depression, which may undermine both family resilience and overall family functioning. Objective This study aimed to examine the association between depressive symptoms and family resilience among dementia caregivers, and to explore the potential mediating role of family functioning. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 514 community-based caregivers of individuals with dementia. Participants completed the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), the Family Resilience Assessment Scale (FRAS), and the General Functioning subscale of the Family Assessment Device (FAD-GF). Partial correlation analyses were used to assess the associations among key variables, and the bootstrap method was employed to evaluate the mediating effect of family functioning. Results The mean family resilience score among caregivers was 99.78 ± 16.09. Family resilience was negatively correlated with depressive symptoms ( r = −0.399, p < 0.001) and family functioning scores ( r = −0.617, p < 0.001), while family functioning scores were positively correlated with depressive symptoms ( r = 0.330, p < 0.001). Mediation analysis indicated that family functioning partially mediated the association between depression and family resilience, accounting for 44.39% of the total effect. Conclusion Family functioning mediates the impact of depression on family resilience. Interventions aimed at improving family functioning may help strengthen family resilience in caregivers of individuals with dementia.